>>>
>>> THE
>>> THE FOLLOWING SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY FRIENDSHIP
HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS.
WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FURRY FRIEND
TO AN ANIMAL HOSPITAL, NO DOUBT
YOU MEET THE VETERINARIAN
THAT'S GOING TO HELP MAKE YOUR
PET FEEL BETTER.
BUT THEY WILL BE THE FIRST TO
TELL YOU IT'S A TEAM EFFORT AND
IT'S THE VETERINARIAN
TECHNICIANS THAT ARE REALLY THE
UNSUNG HEROES.
>>
>> IT'S
>> IT'S OKAY. >> THESE ARE THE SOUNDS OF A
TYPICAL DAY AT FRIENDSHIP
HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS IN
NORTHWEST D.C.
NORTHWEST D.C. >> HERE'S MY BIG GIRL.
>> ASK THESE ARE THE HARD
WORKING VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING SURE
EACH AND EVERY PET IS
RECOVERING AND COMFORTABLE.
>> THE VETERINARIAN TECHNICIAN
IS THE UNSUNG HERO OF ANY
VETERINARY HOSPITAL, THEY CAN
FUNCTION AS A NURSE,
ANESTHETIST, LAB TECHS.
THEY ARE VERSATILE AND TRULY
THE PEOPLE THAT HELP MY JOB
EASIER AS WELL AS MAKE THE
HOSPITAL RUN SMOOTHLY.
>> Reporter: SHOWED US AROUND
FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS
SO WE COULD SEE AND MEET SOME
OF THE 37 VETERINARY
TECHNICIANS RESPONSIBLE FOR
TAKING CARE OF OUR FURRY
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS. THIS IS LAMONT GREEN.
HE STARTED OUT WORKING IN A PET
STORE FOR EXTRA MONEY DURING
COLLEGE.
COLLEGE.
COLLEGE. BUT HIS PASSION FOR ANIMALS LED
HIM TO BECOME AN ONCOLOGY
TECHNICIAN AND HELP ANIMALS
WITH CANCER.
WITH CANCER. >> SOME DAYS THE PRESSURE IS SO
GREAT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A
CLUE, BUT OTHER TIMES YOU GO
HOME AND YOU'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WHAT?
WHAT? WE
WHAT? WE SAVED ANOTHER ANIMAL.
WE SAVED A CAT.
WE HELPED A FAMILY OUT IN NEED.
>> WE HAVE TECHNICIANS THAT
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR AS LONG AS
15 YEARS AND WE TREAT THEM LIKE
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
FAMILY. YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR FAMILY.
WITH OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF
MAKING SURE THAT THE PATIENTS
THAT WE SEE ARE TREATED WITH
KINDNESS AS WELL AS THE LOVE
THAT YOU WOULD AT HOME.
>> LILA, WE DID SURGERY ON BOTH
OF HER KNEES EIGHT WEEKS AGO.
>> Reporter: THIS IS BRIAN
GOLEMAN.
GOLEMAN.
GOLEMAN. HE'S BEEN A VETERINARY
TECHNICIAN AT FRIENDSHIP FOR
TWO YEARS.
TWO YEARS. >> I'VE ALWAYS LOVED WORKING
WITH ANIMALS.
WITH ANIMALS. I STARTED CLEANING STAGES
DOWNSTAIRS AND THEN WORKED MY
WAY UP.
WAY UP.
WAY UP. I
WAY UP. I JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS
HOSPITAL AND THE ANIMALS IN
PARTICULAR.
PARTICULAR. REALLY CREATING BONDS WITH THEM
AND THE OWNERS, LIKE SOME OF
THESE PATIENTS WE ARE SEEING
FOR LIKE MONTHS SOMETIMES AND
SO WHEN THEY COME IN AND THEY
GET EXCITED TO SEE YOU, YOU GET
EXCITED TO SEE THEM.
IT'S JUST REALLY SPECIAL.
>> Reporter: BECOMING A
VETERINARY TECHNICIAN USUALLY
BEGINS WITH A TWO TO FOUR YEAR
ACCREDITED PROGRAM.
ACCREDITED PROGRAM. BEYOND THAT, EACH STATE HAS
THEIR OWN CREDENTIALING
PROCESS.
PROCESS.
PROCESS. AND THE DOCTOR SAYS IT IS A JOB
THAT'S NEEDED IN A VARIETY OF
INDUSTRIES.
INDUSTRIES. >> IT IS TRULY A POSITION THAT
THEY CAN LOOK AT ANY PART OF
THE INDUSTRY, BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH, THE U.S. MILITARY,
THE ZOO USES VETERINARY
TECHNICIANS SO IT'S NOT JUST A
HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT.
HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT. >> Reporter: SO WHAT TRAITS
DEFINE A GREAT VETERINARY
TECHNICIAN?
TECHNICIAN? >> FIRST AND FOREMOST, BEING
ORGANIZED, HAVING A LOVE OF
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, BEING
COMFORTABLE WITH MATH.
BEING COMFORTABLE, BEING ON
THEIR FEET.
THEIR FEET. IT IS A FAIRLY LABOR INTENSIVE
JOB AT TIMES BUT THEN THE CORE
ASPECTS OF HAVING COMPASSION
AND EMPATHY FOR OUR PATIENTS
THAT AREN'T ABLE TO TELL US
WHAT'S GOING ON, I THINK IS
GOING TO MAKE SOMEONE
SUCCESSFUL IN THAT POSITION.
>> AND DR. CLIPIN IS FUR-EVER
GRATEFUL FOR THE VETERINARY
TECHNICIANS THAT HAVE GUIDED
HER THROUGH HER CAREER.
>> I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
OF WORKING WITH AMAZING
TECHNICIANS THROUGH THE YEAR
AND THEY TRULY MADE ME A DOCTOR
I AM TODAY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS YOU
DON'T LEARN IN SCHOOL AND DON'T
LEARN IN THE BOOKS AND BEING
FACED WITH THAT FOR THE FIRST
TIME, HAVING A WELL TRAINED,
WELL SEASONED VETERINARY
TECHNICIAN THAT WAS THERE TO
HOLD MY HAND AND TO HELP GUIDE
ME THROUGH, THEY TAUGHT ME SO
MANY THINGS.
MANY THINGS. >> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL FOR